


Winter Mornings

by dontmindme_imafangirl



Series: Our Song [2]
Category: The Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bittersweet, Fluff, M/M, Marriage, Marriage Proposal, Rebirth, Short & Sweet, Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-05
Updated: 2018-05-05
Packaged: 2019-05-02 12:13:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14544504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dontmindme_imafangirl/pseuds/dontmindme_imafangirl
Summary: Time is fluid, elusive.They once lived on borrowed time.Now they're greeting it like an old friend, letting it rest with them in cold afternoons and quiet mornings.





	Winter Mornings

The first sign of winter's almost here, in the sharp scent of the air around them, in the pallor of their bare fingers-the ones on their sides, for the ones interlinked with one another are warm, like a small fire in the middle of snowfall. 

Neither boy pays any mind to the stinging cold, content to lavish in each other's warmth, to close their eyes and let the swaying of the wooden swing looking out to the garden lull them to a peaceful still. 

Achilles's face is nestled to the crook of Pat's neck, warm breaths tingling the skin where his shoulder meets his neck, a pair of lips tracing over the pulse point there; not in a manner of seduction. He rests them there, lets his mouth trace gentle loving words to the junction, lets his face feel the soft ripples caused by the blood flow beneath. 

It's his way of reminding, grounding himself in the present, the present where his love is alive, where they're not facing doom at every standstill.   
A present where they can enjoy the soft, quiet moments that once felt rushed, as if they were but stolen time. 

He strained his neck to look up at Patroclus, to notice the dark skinned boy's quirked lips, his half-lidded hazel eyes, the way soft curls fell over his forehead, puffing up at the sides in a manner so endearing Achilles had no words for. 

"I love you" he traced the words on his neck and enjoyed the shiver they brought forward, the small embarrassed smile on his lovers lips. 

"I love you too", he saw Pat's lips form, but a sound of footsteps and the shuffle of a door opening made him pause, turning to look to the panned door besides them. 

"I figured you two would get cold sitting outside for so long. Thought you could use a blanket and some hot chocolate."

Achilles's mother. So similar to Thetis, in her tall slender figure, in her dark long hair held in a loose ponytail, big dark eyes that held a shape similar to Achille's, the same slant of their nose and curved cupid's bow. 

And yet she was gentle where Thetis wasn't. So openly accepting and soft where Thetis once was rough like stone. 

They thanked her, letting her unfold the ruffled blanket and drape it over the two, handing them warm mugs smelling like vanilla to bring colour to their fingers. 

"You two are act like an elderly couple" she shook her head, small smile toying on her lips, "really, I've never seen 17-year olds behave like you two."

They shared a knowing look, one that held this, and this, and that, and a million words more, once they could take their time in phrasing, once they needn't say at all; it was all communicated in the way they held each other close, in their whispered 'i love you's and the waterfalls of kisses. 

"I guess we're old souls" Pat shrugged, and while Achilles's mother hesitated for a moment, as if she too remembered the two boys on her porch, remembered them as once being drenched in blood and injured, she then nodded, ruffling Pat's hair, giving her son a kiss on the forehead before returning back to the warmth of her home. 

Patroclus caught glimpse of Achilles's somnolence, before he hid his face back to the crook of Pat's neck. 

"You think it's her?" he asked, quiet enough that Achilles could dismiss the question, as if he'd never heard it. 

But Pat knew he wouldn't. When were there ever any secrets between them? When were there ever questions unanswered?

"I'm not sure. She looks so similar, but she's so gentle. Besides, my mother couldn't be reborn."

Patroclus thought for a moment.   
"If it wasn't for Thetis, I'd have never been able to find you again. To be with you at least in death."

Achilles knew that. 

"She took her sweet time doing so though. And don't forget what she did-at the end, at..." he didn't continue. 

"I know. I'm not saying she's done no wrong. I'm saying she loved you, in her weird twisted way. It's not my place to say if that love was right or wrong. What I know is, in another life, a life like this one...that could be her."

Achilles shifted, sitting up to look into the hazel he loved, to lean closer, close enough to almost taste the vanilla on Pat's lips. 

"She was a horrible mother-in-law" he teased, "my mom know loves you. She said she's looking forward to our marriage after we graduate."

Pat gulped. 

"We-we didn't plan out a marriage yet though?"

Achilles toyed with the small felt box beneath his back, hidden in the safety of the blanket his mother carefully had wrapped it in before pushing it into her sons palm as she leaned down earlier to kiss him. 

"We didn't, because neither of us had proposed yet. I think we should change that, don't you?"

If he noticed the trickle of tears in his lovers eyes, he didn't mention it. He only made sure to hold him tight, after placing the thin gold ring on his finger.

**Author's Note:**

> Second installment! Thanks for the love on the first installment both here and on tumblr <3   
> I'm not sure if Achilles's mother is indeed Thetis or not...you're free to make your own conclusions about that :) 
> 
> As always, hope you like this! Kudos/comments are always greatly appreciated <3  
> See you at the next installment!


End file.
